Mary has been trying for since 2010 to find a job worthy of her degree in accounting. The door has been closing due to some seemingly significant barriers: being unable to drive, learning disability, autism, etc.

About three months ago, she told me that she was ready to try something else. (See Mary’s Wishes). She went to Goodwill and took a test for a new training program to qualify for a computer training program. She qualified, and was to start when she found out that the trainer had moved on to another job. It took three months for them to hire another teacher. Finally, she will be starting the program in about ten days. Two nights a week. The Kilter taxi service will be starting up again, but we can’t pass up this opportunity. Perhaps if we jiggle the door knob, another door will open. 🙂

Now that the “giving” season at the homeless shelter is over, Mary is beginning her job search in earnest again. She sent out resumes a few times this fall, but now she will be sending more.

She is 27, and Goodwill and the State rehabilitation program have dropped her from their case loads. She was able, on her own, to find part-time, seasonal work with a homeless shelter, but has been unable to find a full time, regular job. She is highly valued (although not highly paid) by the homeless shelter for her skills in accounting and data entry. But her autistic features,language related learning disabilities, and inability to drive have been a barrier to regular employment.

So now that the “giving” season is over for the homeless shelter, her hours will be reduced to six hours a week. I am grateful that she has this opportunity and that she has meaningful work.

Loneliness is an issue. She has been trying to find things to do. She has been teaching herself how to draw and paint and work with chalks. We go to church. She has that social opportunity, and work is a social outlet.

I try not to fret, but that low level concern keeps niggling at the back window of my mind, trying to get in. But I need to keep in mind that the Lord has a place for Mary. She is his workmanship, his handiwork, his masterpiece created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for her to do.

******

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10, the Bible, NIV)

Mary just received a call from the nonprofit she interviewed at two weeks ago. She will be starting next week for two four hour shifts on Tuesday and Thursday, and she will keep her other 6-hour a week job at the homeless shelter.

When I got home, Mary told me that they wanted to hire more than one person. And also, if she did the job well, there could be an increase in hours. Mary was right; the interview did go well.

The interview came about in part because her caseworker helped set up the interview and advocated for her. And her supervisor at the homeless shelter also probably gave her a recommendation. And Mary has confidence and competence because of her volunteering for a year and then doing paid work for the homeless shelter.

She has a chance to prove her ability.

One more step toward independence. One more step toward leaving the harbor.

Patty, my youngest daughter, says it could happen sooner than I think.

Will has lived in his own place on his own for the first time in his life for five days.

He has done laundry, rudimentary cooking, and navigated his way around town (our town). But now he is doing all these things, making all these choices without (much) input from us. And he is lonely. Our family is very tight knit and we talk all the time. He said the hardest times are when he sits down to eat. By himself.

He is looking for events and/or group meetings to attend. He wants to meet people. And I wonder how he will do. We have encouraged him to find a church where he can meet people. And to find some volunteer activities that he can do after work or on Saturdays. But he is still living alone. That is a very different experience for him.

I don’t have much experience with living alone. The few short periods that I lived alone without knowing anyone were unpleasant to me. I lived with my family, and then a variety of roommates, and then married. My husband has a lot more experience in living alone. He can talk to Will about living alone far more experientially.

I am going to visit Will this weekend with my oldest daughter and bring him some more stuff from our house. And donuts from Marge’s Donut Den. We are going thrift shopping again, for decorations and furniture. And we are planning to play some games.

I tell him that when I was his age (1984), it costs 20 cents a minute to call long-distance. I could only call my parents once a week, for a very short time. I had to share a phone with my roommates. My husband didn’t have a phone; he had to use a pay phone to call his mother. Now, although we pay a lot for our phones each month, it doesn’t cost anything extra beyond the initial bill for each phone call we make. So we watched American Idol last night “together.”

Search:

Follow Blog via Email

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.